Website or social media url(s) (optional):

Date Started

Project Stage: Select the description below that best applies to your approach.

Start-Up (first few activities have happened)

1. Personal Journey: What’s the story behind why you decided to start this project? NOTE: All applications must include a 1 minute video that answers: “I am stepping up to make change because..."

Video is long, but it is the community itself that inspired me to action. I lived in Thies, Senegal for 8 months during my gap year. I met so many people who were passionate about learning English, yet lacked resources that made sense for them. It was only after living in my host community and learning the cultural nuances that E-JangRadio seemed like a feasible idea. Many things look good on paper or in theory, but aren't sustainable due to lack of understanding the target audience.

Our name reflects our mission as an organization dedicated to helping people learn and to remove the educational inequities, as well as our local roots and commitment to cultural sensitivity in using Wolof.

2. The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve?

The lack accessibility to English listening material, especially for those with no consistent access to the Internet. Furthermore, many of the English materials provided by outside sources/foreign aid are not culturally relevant, and often go unused.

3. Your Solution: How are you planning to solve this problem? Share your specific approach.

We aim to combat this by turning our focus inward, and choose instead to "localize" the initiative. Creating a language learning content in the form of: radio, television, newspaper, podcasts that fits the cultural context of Senegal. Our focus is on sustainability and relativity, so we aim to have this initiative be led by the students (in Senegal) learning English.

4. Example: Please walk us through a specific example of what happens when a person or group gets involved with your project.

5. The X Factor: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there?

We are not imposing our own systems onto the community that we are working with. We understand that in order for this project to truly serve and benefit the community of Thies, it needs to designed by them, for them.

6. Impact: How has your project made a difference so far?

-2 full length radio emissions completed with founders of E-JangRadio present-9 full length radio emissions completed by the students (with the help of community partners, founders of E-JangRadio not present)-20+ guest speakers talking about a range of topics in English such as Religious Peace in Senegal and International Sports-increasing number of audience/listeners each week.-13 schools within the region (middle school-university) are in partnership-65 partnerships: from the Mayor of Thies to teachers to local businesses-only English radio show airing within the region of Thies

7. What’s Next: What are your ideas for taking your project to the next level?

https://www.facebook.com/ejangradio/-We want to raise more awareness of E-JangRadio, as well as our unique approach that other change makers may be able to use to implement their own projects in a meaningful and sustainable way. -To expand our radio talk show to other target areas within Senegal, eventually implementing the radio model within other target countries.

8. Future Support: What are the resources needed to make your vision a reality?

https://www.facebook.com/ejangradio/We have community support and have fundraised. We are looking to introduce this project to our peers in the USA, in hopes of finding more volunteers to become team members.

In order to expand into the growth phase, we are looking to strengthen our online presence through a website/social media platforms. We also need to secure more funding, and would be very interested in a school sponsorship.

9. Finances: If applicable, have you mobilized any of the following resources so far?

Friend support

Family support

Mentors/advisors

Donations between $1k-$5k

10. Ripple Effect: Please share some ideas of how you could partner with other changemakers or involve other young people as leaders in making a difference.

-allowing other change makers to contribute themed content (related to their work) and sharing it with our audience over our platforms. We are open to other ideas of collaboration as well.-partnering with schools in English speaking countries to sponsor the initiative/mini projects throughout the year.-We have engaged our local communities through fundraising and spreading the word about E-JangRadio and the issue it is trying to solve.

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